Cheilitis is the name given to acute or chronic inflammatory conditions of the lips (labial submucosa) or labial commissures.
It can be caused by a variety of endogenous or exogenous factors, the most common being atopic dermatitis, contact irritants or allergens, chronic sun exposure and infection. Secondary involvement of the lips can occur in many cutaneous and systemic diseases, such as lichen planus, lupus erythematosus, autoimmune blistering diseases, Crohn's disease, sarcoidosis and nutritional deficiencies. There are several types of cheilitis: angular, eczematous, actinic, glandular, granulomatous and plasma cell.
The most common symptoms are erythema, dryness, scaling, fissuring, inflammation, itching and burning.
Diagnosis is based on the patient's clinical history and physical examination.
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